Is it safe to rent an apartment in Hillside or Melrose Park? (Chicago: apartments, crime)

[boricuasheart]

My husband and i are gonna look at 2 apartments, one in Hillside and one in Melrose Park. We're looking for cities that have a good amount of Hispanics and are safe for a mixed couple (black and Hispanic). It seems like from the demographics that Hillside is mostly black people and Melrose Park has mostly hispanics. Which city is safer?

[Lookout Kid]

Both suburbs have safe and dangerous sections, and it really depends on where you are. These towns are definitely on the gritty side of suburban Chicago, and are seen as being on the decline. Typically the safer areas are where the homeowners are, and not near apartment buildings. And definitely not near cheap apartment buildings.

[chet everett]

This is one time that I would gladly put in an advertisement for Oak Park and their cockamamie housing center, because for a couple like you they almost certainly steer you toward the least diverse part of Oak Park which would tend to ensure a nicer environment...

[Avengerfire]

Mod: please move this thread to the Chicago Suburbs forum.

[melrose78]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Both suburbs have safe and dangerous sections, and it really depends on where you are. These towns are definitely on the gritty side of suburban Chicago, and are seen as being on the decline. Typically the safer areas are where the homeowners are, and not near apartment buildings. And definitely not near cheap apartment buildings.

I'm a 3rd generation Melrose Parker and I will say Melrose is NOT dangerous (I have relatives and friends who are MP police officers and they themselves have said crime is low). I still live here and I've never felt in fear of my surroundings. There are parts of the town where there are more low-income residents but even still I would feel completely safe walking there at night. That section of town is Hispanic but as you can imagine there are a lot of families with children in that area. Plus it's a thriving part of the community with lots of businesses and it's always busy, day and night.

To answer your question, there are quite a few really nice 2 and 3 flats in the northern part of town. Take a drive through and you'll see for yourself.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Mod: please move this thread to the Chicago Suburbs forum.

[city414]

Originally Posted by boricuasheart

My husband and i are gonna look at 2 apartments, one in Hillside and one in Melrose Park. We're looking for cities that have a good amount of Hispanics and are safe for a mixed couple (black and Hispanic). It seems like from the demographics that Hillside is mostly black people and Melrose Park has mostly hispanics. Which city is safer?

hmmm mixed culturally i suppose, because hispanic isnt a race

[MannheimMadman]

Originally Posted by moskiter

I used to rent apartments in areas in Chicago that were inhabited only by Hispanics and they never killed or robbed me But I wouldn't dare to live in an all-black area..

Oh man. You know something is up when even Europeans don't like black people.

And the experience of living in a highly hispanic area is a mixed bag. I've been burglarized once and had my car broken into twice.

[Alacran]

That's good.
People can't have a little talk outside in those neighborhoods.

Polish are cool people. They still have that carefree mentality like other immigrants.

[moskiter]

Originally Posted by Alacran

That's good.
People can't have a little talk outside in those neighborhoods.

Polish are cool people. They still have that carefree mentality like other immigrants.

Nice to hear that. We respect Mexicans too as the other Catholic nation that comes to the States for better life. Actually Poles don't emigrate to USA anymore.